Stapling device



March 3, 1964 E. ABRAMS STAPLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1961 INVENTOR. faam/5 ,4BP/W5 irra/P/VE/ United States Patent O "ice 3,122,749 STAPLHG DEVICE Eugene Abrams, 1 Swale Road, Franklin Square, N.Y. Filed Nov. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 152,183 2 Claims. (Cl. 1-49) The present invention relates to an improvement for stapling devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a stapling device which dispenses staples connected to a pull thread thereby making possible the quick and easy removal of the dispensed staples from a stapled object.

Another object is to provide lthis capability of dispensing staples connected to a pull thread to known stapling devices without requiring extensive modification either in the construction or mode of operation of these stapling devices.

Various other objects -and advantages will appear from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, `and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FG. l is an illustration of the stapling technique of the stapling device of the presen-t invention, in which more particularly, it is shown that the dispensed staples are each connected to a pull thread;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation, with ya part broken away, of the stapling device oi the present invention;

FlG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, with a part broken away, of the staple dispensing mechanism of the stapling device of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is lan enlarged fragmentary front view projected from PEG. 3. rl`he stapling device of the present invention was developed for particular use in the 'fur industry, and thus is described in connection with this use, but it will be understood that this is not intended in any way .as a limitation on the scope of the invention since the stapling device may also have wide application in other industries. in the fur industry, it is a practice to meisten fur pelis to render them stretchable, and afterwards stret h `the pel-ts to various desired increased dimensions. As best illustrated in FG. l, the stretching of a fur pelt 1@ is carried out fusing a molded paper board 11, a paper sheet 12 having an outline 13 of the increased dimensions to which the pelt is to be stretched, yand a multiple of closely spaced staples 14 to hold the edges ott' the stretched pelt along the outline 13. Initimly, the pelt 16 is stretched width-wise and stapled along this line of stretch 'to the board 11, and then the remaining portions of the pelt are carefully stretched to conform the fur pelt to the shape of the outline 13. A preferred way of holding the edges of the fur pelt `lll along the outline 13 is by stapling these edges lto the board 11, it being understood that for an average size fur pelt that as many as l() closely spaced staples may be required for this purpose. After drying of the fur pelt which sets the pelt in its stretched shape, it is then necessary to remove the staples. It should be lreadily appreciated that removal of the staples is greatly facilitated by the stapling technique of the stapling device of the present invention, according to which the dispensed staples 14 are connected at spaced points to a pull thread 16, and which therefore requires only that Ithe thread 16 be pulled to remove large numbers of the staples easily and quickly both from the board y111 and from lthe stretched fur pelt 10.

Referring tc FiGS. 2-4, the stapl-ing device 17 of the present invention will be understood to be substantially of the same construction as stapling ldevices which do not dispense staples attached to a pull thread. That is, said device has the usual housing 13 enclosing a staple driving mechanism operated by a plunger 19 to cause staples 3,122,749 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 to be driven, one at a time, from the device through .an ejection chute 211. However, distinguishing the device 1'7 are a pair of arms 22 suitably connected to extend forwardly from opposite sides of the housing [1S and which carry a rotatable spool 23 and a supply of thread 16, and means now lto be described which in the operation of the device 17 causes successive portions of the thread 16 to be punctured by a leg of each successively dispensed staple.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the staples 14 are suitably urged along a magazine or track formed by the members 24 and .26 to the ttorward end of the housing 18 to thereby place the end staple in the path of movement of a reciprocating driver 27 which will be understood to be attached to the plunger `19. Just below the end staple, the end wall of the housing '118, more particularly designa-ted 28 in PGS. 3 and 4, and an upstanding block 29 tform the ejection chute 21 which is a staple wide vertical groove having a bottom opening 31. In -accordance with the present invention, a centrally located opening 32 is provided in the housing end wall 28 ythrough which the free end of the thread 16 is threaded into the ejection chute '21. Because of the coniined depth of the chute 21, a preferred way of facilitating the threading operation is to provide a slot 33 in the block 29 so that the .thread I16 when passed through the opening 32 also passes through the slot 33 as indicated in phantom perspective in FIG. 3. Then by pulling the thread 16 in the direction of the arrow A, the thread is forced through a constriction 314 in the lower end of the slot 33 in-to the ejection chute 21. Accidental disengagement of the thread from the chute is prevented by inability of the thread to pass easily through the constriction 34. As best shown in FIG. 4, the thread l16 is 4then pulled to one or the other side of the ejection chute 21 so that from the opening 32 -the thread 16 extends diagonally across the width ci the chute 21 and out a corner of the bottom opening 31 of said chute. To aid in seating the thread 16 in one or the other of the corners of the chute bottom opening 31 a cutout 30 is provided in each side of the housing 18 on opposite sides of the opening 31. Provision of the cutouts Btl is also useful in maintaining the bottom surface of the stapling device V17 hush against the surface of the object being stapled. It =will also be noted in FlG. 4 that the driver 27 is provided with a central slot 35 of a length which will be understood to be at least equal to the distance of the opening 32 to the bottom edge of the end Wall 28. Provision of the slot 35 in the driver eliminates any tendency of the driver to shear or otherwise interfere with the thread 16 at the opening 31 during the power stroke of the driver through the ejection chute 21.

In using the device 17 to apply a series of staples in the `direction .ott the arrow B in FIG. 4, the free end of the thread 16 should pass out o the left corner cutout 30 of the chute bottom opening 31, and initially the thread `should be pulled and held by the operator so that it is rtaut to the spool 23. Due to the position of the thread relative to the staples being dispensed, the left leg of each staple, as for example that designated I14' in FIG. 4, when driven through the chute Z1 will puncture the thread as .at 36, thereby physically connecting this staple to the pull thread. Movement of the device 17 in lthe direction of the arrow B and thus away from the dispensed staple 14 (which will be understood tto be then iirmly anchored in the board 111) automatically unwinds additional thread from the spool Z3 placing successive portions of the thread in position to be punctured and thereby physically connected to each successively dispensed staple. It is of course also possible to staple in the direction of the arrow C in which instance the thread 16 will then pass out 5- of the right corner cutout 30 of the chute bottom opening 3,1 `as shown in phantom perspective in FIG. 4.

During successive stapling operations, the run of the thread 16 :from the` spool 23 to the point *36 when it is connected to the last dispensed staple should be maintained relatively taut. This is easily .achieved by restricting the rotation of the spool Z3, as for example by causing the arms 22 to press inwardly against the spool 23, and by the operator moving .from one stapling position to the next against the resistance offered by restrictive rotation of the spool 23. Y

While a Wide variety of materials may be used as the pull thread, the material preferred is a nylon thread sold under the trademark Stitchlok by the Mason Silk Company of New York City.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled `in the art Within the principle and scope of the invention -as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an apparatus for dispensing staples connected at spaced points to a pull thread so as to vfacilitate subsequent removal of said staples, `a stapling device having a housing Within which a driver is mounted for reciprocating movement for dispensing staples one at a time, a

staple ejection chute formed in said housing in the path of said driver, a supply of thread lcarried on said housing, and said housing having an opening into said ejection chute through Which said thread may be lthreaded into said ejection chute and out the bottom opening thereof sotthat said thread may be located in .the path of the staples Ibeing dispensed, whereby sucssive portions orf said thread are punctured by a leg of each successively dispensed staple.

2. In an apparatus Ifor dispensing staples connected at spaced points to a pull thread so as to facilitate subsequent removal of said staples, a stapling device having a housing within which a ydriver is mounted for reciprocating movement for dispensing staples one at a time, a staple ejection chute Iformed in said housing in the path of said driver and terminating in a bottom opening, a supply of thread carried on said housing, and said housing having a central opening into said ejection chu-te through which said thread may be threaded into said eject-ion chute to extend diagonally across the Width thereof and out a corner of 'the bottom opening thereof to thereby place said thread inthe path of the staples being dispensed, whereby successive portions of said threadl are puncture-'d by a legrof each successively dispensed staple.

No references cited. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING STAPLES CONNECTED AT SPACED POINTS TO A PULL THREAD SO AS TO FACILITATE SUBSEQUENT REMOVAL OF SAID STAPLES, A STAPLING DEVICE HAVING A HOUSING WITHIN WHICH A DRIVER IS MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT FOR DISPENSING STAPLES ONE AT A TIME, A STAPLE EJECTION CHUTE FORMED IN SAID HOUSING IN THE PATH OF SAID DRIVER, A SUPPLY OF THREAD CARRIED ON SAID HOUSING, AND SAID HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING INTO SAID EJECTION CHUTE THROUGH WHICH SAID THREAD MAY BE THREADED INTO SAID EJECTION CHUTE AND OUT THE BOTTOM OPENING THEREOF SO THAT SAID THREAD MAY BE LOCATED IN THE PATH OF THE STAPLES BEING DISPENSED, WHEREBY SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF SAID THREAD ARE PUNCTURED BY A LEG OF EACH SUCCESSIVELY DISPENSED STAPLE. 